Horse of the Year Igugu will be among a team of stable stars trainer Mike de Kock has decided will begin a lengthy and circuitous journey to Dubai via the Cape Town quarantine station on May 6.
Photo by Gold Circle
After 19 days at Cape Town they will spend 90 days in Mauritius. They will then have to spend a further 30 days in quarantine in the UK before they can be flown to Dubai.
Recent equine exports from South Africa have been banned by outbreaks of African Horse.
The ban is due to be lifted on May 3 but EU legislation prevents horse exports direct to Europe for a further 12 months.
De Kock said: "For Igugu and others to be able to compete internationally at the end of the year and next year in Dubai, we have no choice but to make early arrangements to get them out of the country as soon as we can.
"It's ridiculous but we cannot take the chance of waiting until after the Durban July."
Igugu won the Durban July, South Africa's premier G1 event, last year.
The export party also includes last season's dual G1 winner The Apache and a number of horses owned by Sheilk Hamdan including Soft Falling Rain, Istiqraar, Mushreq, Jet Legend and Royal Ridge.
De Kock did not enter Igugu for the 2012 Durban July but still has 22 horses in South Africa's greatest race on July 7.
